Absence
by Melbe
Summary: Draco goes to Dumstrang, how is everyone handling his absence? What happens to his brut squad, Crabbe and Goyle, and what about Pansy and the rest of Slytherin. Not to mention the golden trio! Read & Review!


This is only my second fic that I am posting so, hope you like it. Feel free to review, leave comments, suggestions and such...

I'll be sure to read um, and prance around happily and such...

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and such..._**

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**Sanctuary- Chapter 1**   
  
"Look how tiny they are! We definitely were NOT that small!" Ron stated pointing at all the little first years walking through the great hall for sorting. They were all at least a head shorter than the three friends. Ron, especially, since he was the tallest of the three. Hermione rolled her eyes and plopped down at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Of course we were Ronald, honestly," she sighed sounded exasperated. Harry just shook his head and laughed to himself as he sat down. Ron and Hermione had only been together for a few hours and already they were bickering with each other like a married couple. They'd managed to keep it up all the way to Hogwarts on the train.  
  
"Mione, you mean to tell me that you were that scrawny and stupid?" Ron replied sitting down at the table across from Hermione, and right next to Harry. Ron still was watching some of the first years who looked around confused, as if they were completely lost.   
  
"Well, I certainly hope not quite as stupid… but I guess I may have seemed so to someone our age." She admitted. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry and quieted down for the sorting to begin. McGonagall came out with the sorting hat. As usual and they made it through names A to Z, clapping for all the newcomers to Gryffindor, and grunting whenever a new name was called and placed in Slytherin.   
  
"It's going to be different around here without Fred and George…" Ron sighed, "They gave me a whole box of skiving snacks, FREE! Reckon I'll need um, for Snape's class."  
  
"Shhhh! Dumbledore's going to make his speech!" Hermione squealed, moving to the edge of her chair.  
  
"Mione, his speeches usually are just random words, or warnings to the first years about the forbidden forest!" Ron scoffed.  
  
Seamus Finnigan who was sitting close by leaned over and chimed in, "He's right you know. He only gave a speech last year because he had the ministry crawling up his-"  
  
"SEAMUS!" Hermione shrieked disapprovingly and smack Seamus hard in the arm. Ron and Harry both started cracking up laughing.  
  
"Didn't know me mum was sending spies to keep an eye on me…" Seamus groaned rubbing his arm, "That hurt!"  
  
"Nice not to be on the receiving end of her hit's for a change, eh Ron?" Harry laughed nudging Ron jokingly.  
  
"I'd say so!" Ron chuckled. Hermione sighed loudly. And directed her full attention to Dumbledore, who had just stood up to make his speech.  
  
"Welcome!" Dumbledore's voice boomed, "Welcome everyone, to a new year at Hogwarts! Mr. Filch would like me to tell all the first years that the forbidden forest is off limits, and to remind everyone else as well."  
  
"See!" Ron hissed at Hermione who tried to ignore him.  
  
"Now I do not wish to hold up the feast any longer so…" and with that, food appeared right in front of everyone's eye's on the table and they all began eating, most the kids not taking time to even swallow. Ron and Harry were among that group and Hermione had to give up all attempts at making conversation, because watching the two of them try and eat was utterly repulsing. It didn't take long before everyone had eaten all they could possible consume, and had become completely exhausted.  
  
"So, prefects… what's the password?" Harry asked grinning at his two best friends, who were both wearing their shining badges. Ron no doubt must have been polishing his all summer.  
  
"Hungarian Horntail," Ron beamed proudly. And they got up followed by the first years that Hermione was herding towards the common room.   
  
"Don't you think you should help?" Harry asked smirking.  
  
"No, Hermione's an over achiever, she likes working alone. Needs the experience." Ron explained jokingly covering for his laziness.  
  
"Right… You ready for Quidditch season?" Harry asked Ron merrily. Quidditch was one of Harry's favorite things about Hogwarts.   
  
"Yeah, Fred and George stopped by to practice with me a bit every so often over the summer. Said they didn't want me mucking up the Weasley name. They even brought Oliver Wood by to give me a few tips once. He's brillant anymore!" Ron explained.  
  
"I bet. Didn't know they were still in touch with Oliver."  
  
"Yeah, he swings by their joke shop every so often. The shop's been a hit, but it's still a mystery how they had enough galleons to buy the place…" Ron said looking at the ceiling as he thought about it.  
  
"Yeah… mystery…" Harry said looking in the other direction, knowing exactly where they had gotten the money. Him. Finally they stood in front of the portrait of the fat lady and Harry clearly stated, "Hungarian Horntail." About a minute later an exasperated Hermione came into the common room with the lot of first years.  
  
"Thanks for the help Ron! You really set quiet an example!" Hermione scoffed sarcastically. Ron gave a cheesy grin, in a way that looked similar to Lockhart's smile, and then proceeded to roll his eye's at Harry when Hermione wasn't looking.  
  
"Night Hermione," Harry called as they headed into their room to go to bed.  
  
"Night!" she called heading the other way with another group of girls.

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Please review! Thank you! (and such...) 


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